Toxik – Breaking Class

New material from classic 80s thrash band Toxik has been anticipated for a long time. Not just because it’s almost 30 years since their last record, but also because the band has been working on it for seemingly a very long time. Though it’s not a full length, “Breaking Class” is what the band has come up with so far, and the result may not be too enticing to long time Toxik fans. The band definitely still plays thrash, but instead avoid the super technical nature they were once known for. In addition, the return of “Think This” vocalist Charles Sabin isn’t all that noticeable. He rarely hits a sky-high note, instead opting for a more normal upper range voice. Fortunately, mainman Josh Christian still has plenty of opportunities to show that his shredding skills are just as impressive as they were 30 years ago, with his best playing coming on "Psyop".

Everything about “Breaking Class” feels a little too modern. The American flag on the cover makes it immediately clear what this entire EP is about, giving it strong vibes of Coldsteel’s “America Idle” EP (though that one was far superior). Even though the riffs themselves are pretty fast, it just doesn’t feel as authentic as it once did. The title track is definitely the fastest and best of the three songs, and it has an outstanding nod to the title track of “World Circus” with a psychotic riff after the first chorus, but the overall impact of the song isn’t quite what one would hope for. 

“Breaking Class” ultimately falls in a very strange space in terms of reunion efforts because it doesn’t completely miss the mark like many other bands, and yet it just doesn’t feel right. The sound and technical skill are there, but they don’t come together properly, and so this EP is likely to get lost amidst the plethora of modern sounding thrash releases being released in 2017. 

Be sure to check out and like Toxik on Facebook!

Highlights

"Breaking Class"

Final Rating

3.3/5 or 66%. 

Written by Scott

Paralysis – You Can’t Win

“You Can’t Win” is the newest EP from New Jersey thrash group Paralysis. Before even thinking about the music on this release, the most immediate standout is the guest lineup. Boasting veteran names like Gerre (Tankard), Josh Christian (Toxik), and Bobby Gustafson (ex-Overkill), this EP is a star-studded release. All three guests show up in a big way on this EP. Gerre is probably the most noticeable of the three since he contributes vocally, but Josh’s solo is pretty wild, and exactly what you’d expect to hear on a Toxik record.

A lineup this great typically means one of two things: either the band is using big names to try and give them more credibility, or that their music rules so much that these guys are excellent additions to the record. Fortunately, “You Can’t Win” falls into the latter case. This EP has plenty of great music to offer thrash fans across all five tracks. The title track is a definite standout, simply because of how catchy it is. Utilizing stellar gang vocals to shout the chorus, this song is especially memorable. The closer, “All Your Lies”, takes this a step further, creating a crossover sound that would not be out of place on a Leeway record (to name one example).

Even though there are a lot of gang vocals, the singing of the band’s frontman is definitely more death metal inspired than thrash. A very throaty growl is prominent throughout the record, though there’s no difficulty in understanding the lyrics (which are incredibly angry!). Nevertheless, the riffs are distinctly thrashy in their approach. In general, they tend to be stronger when they’re faster and more upbeat (though this has always been the case in thrash). In fact, if there’s one area of improvement for Paralysis, it would be in the guitar tone. I hate to recommend something being louder, but the guitars feel very muted, and lack the punch that heavier tones have. “You Can’t Win” would surely benefit from being a bit more in your face. 

This is a minor complaint though, as the music that is presented here is killer. This is a savage release that offers more aggression than a lot of thrash albums (largely due to the vocals). The songs are surprisingly memorable, and offer more variety than one might expect. The awesome guest appearances only add to the quality of this release, and make it one of the more unique entries in thrash for 2016.

Be sure to check out and like Paralysis on Facebook!

Highlights

"You Can't Win"

"All Your Lies"

Final Rating

4.25/5 or 85%. 

Written by Scott